1 Then Joseph H3130 could H3201 not refrain H662 himself before all them that stood H5324 by him; and he cried, H7121 Cause H3318 every man H376 to go out H3318 from me. And there stood H5975 no man H376 with him, while Joseph H3130 made himself known H3045 unto his brethren. H251
2 And he wept H6963 H1065 aloud: H5414 and the Egyptians H4714 and the house H1004 of Pharaoh H6547 heard. H8085 H8085
3 And Joseph H3130 said H559 unto his brethren, H251 I am Joseph; H3130 doth my father H1 yet live? H2416 And his brethren H251 could H3201 not answer H6030 him; for they were troubled H926 at his presence. H6440
4 And Joseph H3130 said H559 unto his brethren, H251 Come near H5066 to me, I pray you. And they came near. H5066 And he said, H559 I am Joseph H3130 your brother, H251 whom ye sold H4376 into Egypt. H4714
5 Now therefore be not grieved, H6087 nor angry H2734 with yourselves, H5869 that ye sold H4376 me hither: for God H430 did send H7971 me before you H6440 to preserve life. H4241
6 For these two years H8141 hath the famine H7458 been in H7130 the land: H776 and yet there are five H2568 years, H8141 in the which there shall neither H369 be earing H2758 nor harvest. H7105
7 And God H430 sent H7971 me before you H6440 to preserve H7760 you a posterity H7611 in the earth, H776 and to save your lives H2421 by a great H1419 deliverance. H6413
8 So now it was not you that sent H7971 me hither, but God: H430 and he hath made H7760 me a father H1 to Pharaoh, H6547 and lord H113 of all his house, H1004 and a ruler H4910 throughout all the land H776 of Egypt. H4714
9 Haste H4116 ye, and go up H5927 to my father, H1 and say H559 unto him, Thus saith H559 thy son H1121 Joseph, H3130 God H430 hath made H7760 me lord H113 of all Egypt: H4714 come down H3381 unto me, tarry H5975 not:
10 And thou shalt dwell H3427 in the land H776 of Goshen, H1657 and thou shalt be near H7138 unto me, thou, and thy children, H1121 and thy children's H1121 children, H1121 and thy flocks, H6629 and thy herds, H1241 and all that thou hast:
11 And there will I nourish H3557 thee; for yet there are five H2568 years H8141 of famine; H7458 lest thou, and thy household, H1004 and all that thou hast, come to poverty. H3423
12 And, behold, your eyes H5869 see, H7200 and the eyes H5869 of my brother H251 Benjamin, H1144 that it is my mouth H6310 that speaketh H1696 unto you.
13 And ye shall tell H5046 my father H1 of all my glory H3519 in Egypt, H4714 and of all that ye have seen; H7200 and ye shall haste H4116 and bring down H3381 my father H1 hither.
14 And he fell H5307 upon his brother H251 Benjamin's H1144 neck, H6677 and wept; H1058 and Benjamin H1144 wept H1058 upon his neck. H6677
15 Moreover he kissed H5401 all his brethren, H251 and wept H1058 upon them: and after H310 that his brethren H251 talked H1696 with him.
16 And the fame H6963 thereof was heard H8085 in Pharaoh's H6547 house, H1004 saying, H559 Joseph's H3130 brethren H251 are come: H935 and it pleased H3190 H5869 Pharaoh H6547 well, H3190 H5869 and H5869 his servants. H5650
17 And Pharaoh H6547 said H559 unto Joseph, H3130 Say H559 unto thy brethren, H251 This do H6213 ye; lade H2943 your beasts, H1165 and go, H3212 get H935 you unto the land H776 of Canaan; H3667
18 And take H3947 your father H1 and your households, H1004 and come H935 unto me: and I will give H5414 you the good H2898 of the land H776 of Egypt, H4714 and ye shall eat H398 the fat H2459 of the land. H776
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Genesis 45
Commentary on Genesis 45 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 45
Ge 45:1-28. Joseph Making Himself Known.
1. Then Joseph could not refrain himself—The severity of the inflexible magistrate here gives way to the natural feelings of the man and the brother. However well he had disciplined his mind, he felt it impossible to resist the artless eloquence of Judah. He saw a satisfactory proof, in the return of all his brethren on such an occasion, that they were affectionately united to one another; he had heard enough to convince him that time, reflection, or grace had made a happy improvement on their characters; and he would probably have proceeded in a calm and leisurely manner to reveal himself as prudence might have dictated. But when he heard the heroic self-sacrifice of Judah [Ge 44:33] and realized all the affection of that proposal—a proposal for which he was totally unprepared—he was completely unmanned; he felt himself forced to bring this painful trial to an end.
he cried, Cause every man to go out from me—In ordering the departure of witnesses of this last scene, he acted as a warm-hearted and real friend to his brothers—his conduct was dictated by motives of the highest prudence—that of preventing their early iniquities from becoming known either to the members of his household, or among the people of Egypt.
2. he wept aloud—No doubt, from the fulness of highly excited feelings; but to indulge in vehement and long-continued transports of sobbing is the usual way in which the Orientals express their grief.
3. I am Joseph—or, "terrified at his presence." The emotions that now rose in his breast as well as that of his brethren—and chased each other in rapid succession—were many and violent. He was agitated by sympathy and joy; they were astonished, confounded, terrified; and betrayed their terror, by shrinking as far as they could from his presence. So "troubled" were they, that he had to repeat his announcement of himself; and what kind, affectionate terms he did use. He spoke of their having sold him—not to wound their feelings, but to convince them of his identity; and then, to reassure their minds, he traced the agency of an overruling Providence, in his exile and present honor [Ge 35:5-7]. Not that he wished them to roll the responsibility of their crime on God; no, his only object was to encourage their confidence and induce them to trust in the plans he had formed for the future comfort of their father and themselves.
6. and yet there are five years, in the which there shall neither be earing nor harvest—"Ear" is an old English word, meaning "to plough" (compare 1Sa 8:12; Isa 30:24). This seems to confirm the view given (Ge 41:57) that the famine was caused by an extraordinary drought, which prevented the annual overflowing of the Nile; and of course made the land unfit to receive the seed of Egypt.
14, 15. And he fell upon … Benjamin's neck—The sudden transition from a condemned criminal to a fondled brother, might have occasioned fainting or even death, had not his tumultuous feelings been relieved by a torrent of tears. But Joseph's attentions were not confined to Benjamin. He affectionately embraced every one of his brothers in succession; and by those actions, his forgiveness was demonstrated more fully than it could be by words.
17-20. Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Say unto thy brethren—As Joseph might have been prevented by delicacy, the king himself invited the patriarch and all his family to migrate into Egypt; and he made most liberal arrangements for their removal and their subsequent settlement. It displays the character of this Pharaoh to advantage, that he was so kind to the relatives of Joseph; but indeed the greatest liberality he could show could never recompense the services of so great a benefactor of his kingdom.
21. Joseph gave them wagons—which must have been novelties in Palestine; for wheeled carriages were almost unknown there.
22. changes of raiment—It was and is customary, with great men, to bestow on their friends dresses of distinction, and in places where they are of the same description and quality, the value of these presents consists in their number. The great number given to Benjamin bespoke the warmth of his brother's attachment to him; and Joseph felt, from the amiable temper they now all displayed, he might, with perfect safety, indulge this fond partiality for his mother's son.
23. to his father he sent—a supply of everything that could contribute to his support and comfort—the large and liberal scale on which that supply was given being intended, like the five messes of Benjamin, as a token of his filial love [see on Ge 43:34].
24. so he sent his brethren away—In dismissing them on their homeward journey, he gave them this particular admonition:
See that ye fall not out by the way—a caution that would be greatly needed; for not only during the journey would they be occupied in recalling the parts they had respectively acted in the events that led to Joseph's being sold into Egypt, but their wickedness would soon have to come to the knowledge of their venerable father.